Somehow, life goes on.
In case you haven’t heard, the real estate market simply sucks right now. It sucks so badly that people are killing themselves. First thing Monday morning, I get the news that over the weekend, a local developer did himself in in his bedroom. Doesn’t help that it was in the home I’d shown my client two weeks earlier.
“Did he do it because we didn’t buy the house” she asks, her voice catching slightly.
How do you answer that?! I don’t know, maybe. Maybe it was the last straw. I don’t know.
“No,” I answer, “there were far bigger problems than that, I’m sure.”
I went on to say that perhaps now was the time for a little more compassion and understanding for everyone we encounter. I’m making myself nauseated with the syrupy-ness, but I do believe that.
The funny thing is that in tough times like these, the wheat really does separate from the chaff. I mean that while I’ve encountered some real nutters, I’ve also become close to some people I really admire.
Let’s start with the nutters. I interviewed for a job today. Now, in case you don’t know, most real estate brokers PAY ALOT OF MONEY to the company they work with for the privilege of working there. I have no judgement for that because, hey, THIS IS A BUSINESS. Yes, it’s a business WITH ALOT OF LIABILITY ATTACHED TO IT.
So, I arrive for my 11 am with Mr. Brown, the principal at company X. He asks me to start and I give my spiel.
“…been doing this for eight years, blah, blah, creating a niche for myself, blah, blah, need a team to work with, blah, blah, blah.”
I MEAN everything I say. I HAVE to do what I’m doing. I don’t have a choice. What’s more, I actually like it.
Then he starts. And the more he talked, the more I kept hoping he couldn’t tell that my eyes kept losing focus and that I was wondering when class would let out.
”I’m looking for PRO-DUC-ERS. I’ve seen just how much you done in the past year. I want to see a break down of your daily activity and a business plan. We’re not here just to support you, it’s a give and take. And, I want smiles, don’t come in here being Miss-negative. I’m a positive person and I want those people around me. Now you can come into my office anytime and cry and we’ll work through your problems, but once you get past that door, its ALL SMILES.” And on, and on, and on.
And for the pleasure of doing business with them it’ll cost me a minimum of $30,000/per year. Whether I make money or not.
Now, when I left, being open to the suggestion that I really do SUCK, I felt quite small. Then I started thinking, I can’t believe I’m the only real estate lady right now that sucks. Well sure enough, I have lots of company in the sucking department. Which makes me feel much better.
Now I appreciate and admire, my super-energetic and hard working compatriots. They are the “wheat” I referred to earlier. I know the nicest, smartest brokers in town. But you know, ultimately, this is a numbers game. Lots of houses, few buyers, many of us are going to be zero producers. I need to add that I will be closing on a million dollar home next week. It took a year of HARD work, tenacity, groveling and abuse to get there but I will be there. Still, there are some who will make the numbers and many who won’t. Even with that sale, I won’t.
I won’t be taking the job, even if it’s offered to me. I guess I’m too old (41) and have had my own business(es) for too long to feel that, well, patronized and condescended to. Just ego speaking, what’s left of it, of course, but when logic is SCREAMING one thing and Mr. Brown of company X is screaming another, I have to whisper, “uncle.” Maybe I’ll just be true to whatever “self” I have left, and see what the future holds.
It’s 6pm Friday evening and weak, cold, mexican beer in hand (it’s 88º and it just goes down nicely – ordinarily, I’m far stuffier in my tastes). Fridays are odd to me now that I’m a Real Estate Lady. While everyone else is closing up shop for the weekend, I’m feeling like the shutters are coming up and we’re opening for business. Which is why, next to my cold one, lies my eternal friend/lifeline/nemesis, my cell phone. It could ring at any moment. Broker Jones with a client in from Dallas who has seen my home online and wishes to show it tomorrow between 10 and 5. Ah Fridays. Ripe with possibilities.
Leave a Reply